9 Stylish Beanies to Keep Your Head Warm This Winter

First, an acknowledgement: anyone who’s taken a basic biology course knows it’s a complete and utter myth that you lose more heat through your head than through other parts of your body. But that doesn’t mean you should go through winter with your skull exposed to the elements. In fact, you should take care to cover up any exposed flesh when it’s chilly in the great outdoors: who wants dry skin on top of the discomfort of being cold?

The easiest and most stylish way to cover up your scalp? A cashmere beanie. It’s the gold standard of simple headgear crafted from the gold standard of cold-weather fabrics, and thanks to a preponderance of suppliers and manufacturers, it can be yours at virtually any price point. Do yourself a favor, though, and look for something that’s a little more 2017 Alexandre Matiussi than, say, 2007 Ashton Kutcher. The super slouchy beanie of yesteryear should stay in the past, and something that fits closer to your head (and retains more heat) should shine through. Take your pick of one of the fine examples below.

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Uniqlo Cashmere Knitted Beanie

Turn the rib up on this cashmere beanie to shorten its length—and customize it to your specific, forehead-sized needs.

At this point, olive is just as neutral as navy, black, and gray—so do yourself a favor and buy an olive cap this winter. It’ll help you stand out in a sea of guys wearing, well, navy, black, and gray.

Don’t let the made-in-China tag on this beanie fool you: in a lot of cases, the eastern giant is producing better knitwear than Italy—which, combined with Steven Alan’s unparalleled understanding of fit, makes this beanie one of the best values on this list.

If you haven’t heard of Johnstons of Elgin before, that’s going to change in the coming year. The 220 year old Scottish house is so good at spinning cashmere yarn and turning it into clothing that it has a royal warrant from the Prince of Wales.

We know, we know—we said to avoid a slouchy beanie, and we meant it. While this model from the 10-year-old California brand The Elder Statesman looks long, it’s actually the same length as the one from Steven Alan a few slides back.

Holiday bonus already burning a hole in your pocket? Reach for the ultimate in high quality cashmere (and sustainability!), which you’ll find from Brunello Cucinelli. You’re not just buying a hat, you’re buying a hat from a man who feeds his employees lunch every day and sends them all home promptly at 5:30.